Ok, so, an update is necessary. It’s been too long! I’ve had
lots of good days and a couple of crummy ones, but here’s an overview…
So, last week, I took a major tumble in the classroom.
Luckily, it was during the passing period between 3rd and 4th
hour, so there weren’t a ton of students in the classroom. I had a student ask
me where her new seat was since she was absent when I gave the new seating
chart. I was walking over to my desk to find the new chart, when the pesky
overhead cord tripped me. This is just another reason why I hate the overhead.
The number one reason is that my fingers are green and blue when I leave school
everyday. I left school last Wednesday with blue and green fingers and a black
and blue knee. Ok, so it wasn’t really black and blue, but I thought that was a
nice use of imagery, it was however a lovely shade of red. It was also
fortunate that it happened 4th hour and not 6th. My 4th
hour students are much… well, more caring, that’s a good way to put it, than my
6th hour students. All of the kids that were already in the
classroom gasped and asked if I was ok, it was actually very sweet. When I told
my 6th hour students about it, they all laughed and said they would
have been rolling on the floor laughing at me. Charming little rascals aren’t
they? After it happened I got sent to the nurse, and now it’s finally starting
to get all better, yay!
That same day, I also wrote my very first referral. This
student has been a serious behavior problem and that day, he basically refused
to do any work in class and was incredibly rude to me about how when he asks me
questions I never know what to say and that I don’t really know anything since
I’m a student teacher. I gave him the option to either do his work, or go to
in-school detention (they call it Sweep at Mesa High School). He chose to go to
Sweep, and afterschool I wrote him up for being disrespectful. It was a really
weird thing to do but it was oddly satisfying because he had been so rude to
me.
Those were the two big things from last week. This week, I
had my first formal observation; it was, in fact, today during 4th
hour! I felt like it went really well! Sister Cottle told me that it was a job
well done and that there were a few things I needed to work on, but that it was
really good! Basically, I need to be more vocal about how much time they have
left to finish an assignment, especially when they are working in groups. She
also said I need to make sure to include how the lesson relates to their future
or their lives. I was teaching “Of Plymouth Plantation,” a narrative about
Pilgrims, so she realizes there isn’t a whole lot I could do to relate it to
their lives, but she just wants me to have that idea in mind for when I am
teaching about Romanticism and Transcendentalism. I’m excited to teach those
because it will be a lot easier for them to relate to the material.
She told me that it was obvious that my background in
theatre really helps me to have the necessary confidence to be in front of a
class. She also told me I have smooth transitions and that I am good at
thinking on my feet. She also mentioned that I did a good job of monitoring
students and moving around the classroom. My questions were clear and I checked
for understanding throughout the lesson, which were all really good. She told
me overall my lesson plan was very organized and that I did a good job and
there were no major problems! I feel really good about it! When she first
walked in I got a little nervous, but I just took a deep breath and went on as
if she wasn’t even there.
On the whole, I feel pretty great about my student teaching
experience so far. I have had good days (when students understand what I’m
teaching and actually participate) and bad days (when students call me a jerk
and just sit there staring at me), but so far, I haven’t had any experiences that
have made me want to quit teaching and flip burgers for the rest of my life, so
I’ll call the first month a success.
Til next time,
Carry on!
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